Newbury College has officially opened its new Student Development Centre (SDC), creating a central space where students can access key services that support personal growth, wellbeing and career development.
Established at the start of the 2025/26 academic year, the Student Development Centre has been carefully developed over the past two terms to respond to the needs of students. Evolving from the former Learner Services area, the refurbished space now offers a welcoming and modern environment that brings together Student Development Coaches, careers guidance and wellbeing support in one central location.
The Student Development Centre was officially opened by Principal Lee Probert during the College’s Open Event on Wednesday 11 March 2026, marking another important step in the College’s commitment to helping students build the confidence, attitudes and behaviours they need for life and work.
At Newbury College, student development begins in the classroom through Pastoral and Personal Development (PPD) and are embedded into all aspects of the learning journey. These sessions cover topics that help students prepare for adult life and the workplace.
These themes are introduced from the very start of the student journey and continue throughout the year. They include behaviours and attitudes, safeguarding, work skills, success, careers, inclusivity, healthy relationships, online safety, PREVENT and British values, including democracy, liberty, respect, the rule of law and tolerance. Together, they reflect the College’s values of aspiration, integrity and respect.
The Student Development Centre builds on that work by offering students dedicated one-to-one support. Through individual sessions with coaches and specialists, students can explore their goals, reflect on their progress and develop the professional behaviours that will help them succeed in their chosen careers.
A key feature of the refurbished space is the Tree of Knowledge, which gives students a visible reminder of the themes that support their personal and professional development. Students have been invited to add their own Leaves of Learning to the tree, helping to reinforce the skills, values and understanding they develop during their time at college. The display is designed to celebrate progress and encourage students to reflect on how these themes shape their day-to-day life, both in college and beyond.
The space has been carefully designed to feel calm, positive and student-centred. It includes four modern meeting booths, each named after a precious gemstone. The names were chosen by students to create a positive wellbeing narrative that would resonate with the young people using the area every day.
Speaking at the opening, Lee Probert, Principal of Newbury College, said: “The Student Development Centre is an important addition to the support we offer at Newbury College. Our focus is always on careers, not courses, and that means helping students grow not only in knowledge and skills, but also in confidence, resilience and professionalism. This new space supports young people to become enthusiastic, work-ready individuals with a positive outlook on life.”
The Student Development Centre complements the College’s existing Student Hub, where students can also access support from Progression and Academic Support Coaches (PASC) and Specialist Additional Learning Support (SALS). The PASC team is the first line of support for academic progress, while SALS provides specialist support so that students can fully access teaching, learning and assessment.
Together, these services reflect Newbury College’s wider commitment to creating opportunities to transform lives. By investing in spaces such as the Student Development Centre, the College continues to ensure that students are supported as individuals and prepared to excel in their future careers.
To find out more about student support at Newbury College, visit newbury-college.ac.uk/support